Phonograph switch



Aug. 14, 1945. RIEBE 2,382,258

PHONOGRAPH SWITCH Filed July 30, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "Hill IHIH M INVENTOW THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEYS 14, 1945- 1 c. RlEBE PHONOGRAPH SWITCH Filed July 30, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THEODORE C. RIEBE ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1945 rnonoomn swrrcn.

Theodore C. Riebe, Chicago, 111., asslgnor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, III.,' a

corporation of Delaware Application July 30, 1943, Serial No. 496,763

2 Claims.

This invention relates to switches, and more particularly to snap-action switches particularly designed for use with phonographs.

In phonographs of either the recording or reproducing types it is common to provide a sequence operation mechanism which is controlled in accordance with the position of the tone arm relative to a record on the turntable. In reproducing phonographs and in recording phonograph utilizing pregrooved records, it is particularly desirable to provide a switch to be actuated by the tone arm which will be snap-acting, positive and accurate in operation and which will require a minimum force applied by the movement of the tone arm.

In telephone conversation recording systems of the type installed at the subscriber's station, there is provided an arrangement utilizing two phonograph turntables and recording tone arms which are controlled -by a sequence operation mechanism so that, if the conversation exceeds the capacity of a single record, the second turntable and record thereon will become operative to continue-to record the conversation shortly prior to the end of the first record. In such arrangements it is desired to provide recording apparatus which is simple to operate. and hence pregrooved records ar provided. In order that a clear record he obtained, it is necessary that the tone arm be required to do as little additional work as possible. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved switch which is to be actuated by the tone arm, and which will fulfill the previously mentioned requirements.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved switch for phonographs which is simple in construction and reliable in operation.

Other and further objects of this invention will becom more readily apparent by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of a phonograph turntable and tone arm provided with the switch comprising the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 showing the tone arm in its initial position; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and top views, respectively, which illustrate the switch mechanism when the tone arm is near the end of the record.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a mounting panel ll of a phonograph apparatus, above which is supported a turntable I 2 and a tone arm it which, in telephone recording systems, comprises a record cutting arm. A phonograph switch ll secured to the mounting pails u is arranged to be actuated by a member I! attached to the record cuttin tone am it. The switch It comprises a base plate It secured to the mounting panel I l by suitable fastening means, such as screws II. The base plate II is provided with a stud ll which supports a bell crank lever switch arm it, which is biased in one direction by one leaf 2| of a switch assembly 22 supported from the base l8 by an upturned projection 22. The spring leaf 2| exerts pressure against an insulating spacer member 24 which engages the outer extremity of one arm of the bell crank switch lever It. The other arm of the bell crank lever I9 is arranged to move within the limits of a guide structure 22 secured to the base It. The outer extremity of this arm of the bell crank lever I8 is provided with a cam surface 22, the purpose of which will subsequently become apparent. At an intermediate point on this portion of the switch arm I! adjacent the cam surface 26, there is provided an upturned member 21 which is arranged to cooperate with the outer extremity of a catch lever 28. The catch lever 22 is suitably supported from the base It by a stud 29, and the lever is spring-biased by a spring 3i attached to the lever 22 and connected to an upturned lug 22 formed on base member IS. The outer extremity of the catch arm 28, therefore, is biased in a direction toward the upturned lug portion 21 of the ranged mounting portions 38 which are held in position by a plurality of fastening means such as screws 21. The switch I4 is actuated by the member l5 attached to the tone arm l3, and this member is provided with 9. depending stud or roller 28 which is arranged to engage the cam surface 28 of the bell crank switch arm II and also an intermediate portion on the catch lever 28.

The operation of the switch will be understood more readily by referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, which show the tone arm II in the position near the end of a phonograph record. From this it will be observed that the depending roller or stud 28 of the switch actuating member I! is in engagement with an intermediate portion of the catch lever 28, which has been moved so that the shoulder of the notch 23 is no longer in engagement with the upstanding lug 21 on the switch arm 19. The movement of the lever 2! is such that the lug 21 is disengaged from the shoulder of the notch 33, whereby the spring 2i will actuate, the bell crank switch arm l8 and close the contacts 24 of the switch assembly 22 with a snap action. It may be assumed that the operation of the switch contacts 34 has brought about the deenergization of the turntable motor, which drives the turntable l2, so that there is no further movement of the record cutting arm It; The attendant at the recording apparatus thereupon will restore the record cutting arm l3 to the side of the turntable I2 and replace the record on the turntable l2 with a new record. The movement of the arm 13 to the side of the turntable i2 moves the stud 38 through an arc, so that the cam surface 26 is engaged thereby so as to move the lever i8 back to a position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the notch 38 in the catch lever 28 will again engage the upturned lug 21 01 the switch arm l8, thereby resetting the switch H to its former condition. Even though the attendface 26 of the switch arm i9, there may be some movement of the lever i9, but this movement is rather small and the switch is not actuated because sufficient space is provided by the length of the notch 38 to permit this rather small movement. After the roller 38 has passed the highest point of the cam surface 26, no further effort is required on the part of the tone arm it until the catch lever 28 is engaged by the roller 88. Then, for a very short distance, effort is required of the tone arm i3 to permit the upturned lug 21 to escape, whereupon snap action of the switch occurs at a definite predetermined position of the record cutting arm l8.

While the above-described switch is particularly suited for use in telephone conversation recording systems or phonographs oi the recording type using pregrooved records, it, of course,

will be appreciated that this switch is also suitable for use with other types of phonographs,

including reproducing phonographs.

While this invention has been illustrated by a single preferred embodiment, it, of course, is to be understood that modifications may be made therein which are commensurate with the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination, in a phonograph, of a tone arm with a switch adapted to be actuated in response to certain movements of said tone arm, said switch comprising a switch arm having adjacent the free end thereof a reset cam surface and a catch member, a spring arranged to bias said switch arm toward a certain position, a pivotally mounted catch lever normally biased to engage said switch arm catch member to hold said switch arm in another position, and a switch actuating member carried by said tone arm and arranged when said tone arm is moved in one d'rection to disengage said catch lever from said catch member thereby to permit said switch arm to bemoved to said certain position, and when said tone arm is moved in another direction to engage said switch arm cam surface thereby to move said switch arm catch member into a position to be re-engaged by said catch lever.

2. The combination in a phonograph, of a tone arm and a snap action switch adapted to be actuatcd in response to certain movements of said tone arm, a switch actuating member mounted on said tone arm, said switch comprising a pivotally mounted switch arm having adjacent the free end thereof a reset cam surface and a catch member, a spring arranged to bias said switch arm toward a first position wherein said reset cam surface will be moved into the path of said switch arm actuating member, and a pivotally mounted spring-biased catch lever arranged to engage said switch arm catch member to hold said switch arm in a second position, said switch actuating member mounted on said tone arm being arranged to disengage said catch lever from said catch member so as to permit said biased switch arm to be moved to said first position when said tone arm is moved in one direction, and being arranged when said tone arm is subsequently moved in the opposite direction to engage said switch arm reset cam surface thereby to move said biased switch arm to said second position so as to permit said catch lever to recngage said catch member.

THEODORE C. RIEBE. 

